Final 2003 Scouting Report: 3B, David Wright

Calvin Young

09/20/2003

The Mets used a supplemental 1st round pick in the June 2001 free agent draft to select David Wright. Wright hails from Chesapeake Virginia -- a stone's throw from Norfolk where the Mets' AAA team - the Tides-- play.

David Wright is the Mets best all-around player and contends with Justin Huber for the Mets top positional prospect. Wright simply is a mature, heady, intense, hard-nose, hard-worker baseball player who understands how to play all facets of the game.

Wright, the leading position player on the Florida State League Champion St. Lucie, had a stellar season. He led the team with 15 RBI, 39 doubles, 75 RBI and 72 BB. Wright's peripheral ratios were outstanding: 1 BB per 6.5 AB; 1 K per 4.8 AB; K/BB of 1.36; XBA of 0.120; and 19 SB in 24 SBA for a success rate of 79.2%. The XBA speaks to the potential to increase his HR substantial and hit for a solid average. The K-rate is solid, however, when combined with outstanding plate discipline (K/BB) also suggests the ability to eventually hit for average. While Wright lacks great speed, he clearly is a good base stealer.

Year

Team

AVG.

AB

Hits

HR

RBI

R

SB

BB

K

OBP

SLG

2003

St. Lucie

.270

466

126

15

75

69

19

72

98

.369

.459

2002

Cap City

.266

496

132

11

93

85

21

76

114

.367

.401

2001

Kingsport

.300

120

36

4

17

27

9

16

30

.391

.458

*Stats as of 9/7/03.

Batting and Power. Wright makes good adjustments, drives the ball to all fields, can hit and run, hit behind runners has outstanding plate, recognizes pitches well and works the count in his favor. He projects to have 25-30 HR. Wright has little physical projectibility, his increased power will likely come from doing a better job of pulling the ball. Currently, Wright's best drives are still hit from left center to right center - the big part of the ballpark. Wright is an exceptionally mature hitter and should be an above average hitter at 3B perhaps .280-.300 based upon the peripherals and decent speed. Should he reduce his K-rate, Wright might become a consistent .300 plus hitter in his prime.

Base Running and Speed. While he lacks great speed, Wright runs well, is a good base runner, and solid base stealer.

Defense. Wright has become a solid defensive player at 3B. He should become an above average defensive player.

COMMENTS

The Mets possess solid depth at 3B with Wright, Baldiris, and Shawn Bowman. Based upon his profile, Wright was 1 of 2 players I wanted the Mets to select with their supplemental pick in the 2001 draft - Todd Linden taken by the Giants was the other. I was ecstatic that the Mets took him because he's just the kind of all-around tough, gritty players that I have affinity for. He has few weaknesses that will on a regular basis haunt the Mets in short post season series - while Chipper Jones had a MVP season in 2000, his errors contributed to 2 losses that lead to NLDS sweep of the Braves. He will also make heady plays. In the final game of the FSL championship, Wright scored the games first run on an interference play. Wright caught in a run down between home and third intentionally ran into a defender in the base paths without the baseball or in process of catching the baseball. He has the ability to make the players that win games at the bat, in the field and on the base paths.

1. Aaron Baldiris could challenge Wright for the top 3B prospect especially if he fills out and add some power.

2. David Wright, the top 3B prospect, is very advanced player. He should be the Mets 3B of the future.

3. Shawn Bowman, the Mets' 2002 12th round selection, struggled in 2003. He is a fine defensive player wo projects to hit with some power. He won't turn 19 until December.

4. Stacy Bennett can also catch and play first base.

5. Brett Harper, a left-handed hitter, can play both third and first. Harper displayed power for the first time with 26 extra-base hits in 201 AB.

6. Rodney Nye is an oldster who will need a big season at AAA in 2004 to be given even marginal prospect status. Nye won the Sterling Award as the MVP of the Binghamton Mets. He was also voted the top defensive player at 3B in the Eastern League.